Improvement in metallic bungs with automatic vent



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AUGUSTUS RUorr, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Letters'latent Nq. 93,481, dated Aug/ust 1Q, l1869.

IMPROVEMENT 1N METALLIC BUNGS wr'rH AUToMATIe VENT.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and partlof the Bam yTo Awhom it may concern: f

. Be it known that' I, AUGUSTUS RUoFF, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metallic Bunge, with Automatic Vents', for barrels; and I do declare that the following is .a true and accurate description thereof, .reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to thc letters of reference marked thereon, and heilig a part of this specification.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the saine on the line X X in iig. 1'.

Like letters indicate like parts in each figure.

lhe object of this invention is to construct a metallit bung, provided with a self-acting vent, principally intended for beer or ale-casks,. but vwhich can be equally well applied to all casks .designed for holding liquids.

1t is well known that the bungs in common use arev made from wood, which require to be replaced nearly every time' a cask 'is filled, causing great expense to the brewer. The retailer or consumer is obliged to bore a hole through the wooden bung, and provide the saine with a-tightlyfitting plug. The hole is intended to admit asuiicient amount of air, that by its pressnre, will compel the contents of the cask t0 escape through the faucet when opened for the purpose.

When the draught is completed, the plug must be inserted into the hole to prevent the escape of the gas of the beer, Vand thereby obviate the tendency of the `beer to become flat aud'spoiled. It frequently happens, that to make the wooden bungs tight in the cask, they are hammered in with great force, the concussion l breaking'oii' the resin with which the inside of beercasks is covered, by lmeans olfwhich the beer would be spoiled.

In, order to prevent loss, and save expense and trouble, I construct an annular ring, A, of any suitaf4 ble material, provided with flange B.

Y This ring A is also provided around its periphery with asuitable thread, O, by means ot'- which -it may be'screwed tightly intoa suitable bung-hole in .a cask.

The inner side of said ring-is provided with another thread, which engages with a corresponding thread upon the periphery of the bung D, which is provided, upon its lower side, with a lug, E, through which is bored the vent-hole F, which, at its upper end, con' nects with channel G, which leads to the top ofthe bung.

' The end of the stud is covered bya strip of leather, India rubber, or other suitable material, H, which is Awide enough to cover the vent-'hole F, While its ends 'cask is emptied and returned to the brewery for cleaning and being refilled.

When the consumer or retailer the pressure of the atmosphere passing through the vent, hereinbefore described, opens the valve Hy sufiiciently to afford the required pressure upon the beer tojcompel it to run off through the proper faucet; and

as soon as that is closed, the valve H contracts, andstops the vent.

These rings and caps should be :made of uniform size, and with the same thread, so that any of the bungs will fit any of the rings, and they will ontwear the casks, and maybe used for a new-one when the old cask is worn out. t

A key, J, o1' any other suitable device, lmay be used in screwing n'y bung to place.

vWhat I claim as my invention, and-desire to se-` cure by Letters Patent, is

As a new, cheap, and superior article of manufacture, the metallic bung 'with automatic vent, herein described,-co'nsisting of the annular ring A, the bung D, provided with vent-hole F, and valve H.

AUGUSTUS RUOFF. "Witnesses:

L. C. HYDE, GEO; SNoAD. 

